Half-Orc
Whether united under the leadership of a mighty warlock or having fought to a standstill after years of conflict, orc and human tribes sometimes form alliances, joining forces into a larger horde to the terror of civilized lands nearby. When these alliances are sealed by marriages, half-orcs are born. Some half-orcs rise to become proud chiefs of orc tribes, their human blood giving them an edge over their full-blooded orc rivals. Some venture into the world to prove their worth among humans and other more civilized races. Many of these become adventurers, achieving greatness for their mighty deeds and notoriety for their barbaric customs and savage fury. Scarred and Strong Half-orcs’ grayish pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their orcish heritage plain for all to see. Half-orcs stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and usually weigh between 180 and 250 pounds. Orcs regard battle scars as tokens of pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as a former slave or a disgraced exile. Any half-orc who has lived among or near orcs has scars, whether they are marks of humiliation or of pride, recounting their past exploits and injuries. Such a half-orc living among humans might display these scars proudly or hide them in shame. The Mark of Gruumsh The one-eyed god Gruumsh created the orcs, and even those orcs who turn away from his worship can’t fully escape his influence. The same is true of half-orcs, though their human blood moderates the impact of their orcish heritage. Some half-orcs hear the whispers of Gruumsh in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat—and either exult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing. Half-orcs are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within them, whether they embrace it or rebel against it. Beyond the rage of Gruumsh, half-orcs feel emotion powerfully. Rage doesn’t just quicken their pulse, it makes their bodies burn. An insult stings like acid, and sadness saps their strength. But they laugh loudly and heartily, and simple bodily pleasures—feasting, drinking, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing—fill their hearts with joy. They tend to be short-tempered and sometimes sullen, more inclined to action than contemplation and to fighting than arguing. The most accomplished half-orcs are those with enough self-control to get by in a civilized land. Tribes and Slums Half-orcs most often live among orcs. Of the other races, humans are most likely to accept half-orcs, and half-orcs almost always live in human lands when not living among orc tribes. Whether proving themselves among rough barbarian tribes or scrabbling to survive in the slums of larger cities, half-orcs get by on their physical might, their endurance, and the sheer determination they inherit from their human ancestry. Half-Orc Names Half-orcs usually have names appropriate to the culture in which they were raised. A half-orc who wants to fit in among humans might trade an orc name for a human name. Some half-orcs with human names decide to adopt a guttural orc name because they think it makes them more intimidating. Male Orc Names: Dench, Feng, Gell, Henk, Holg, Imsh, Keth, Krusk, Mhurren, Ront, Shump, Thokk Female Orc Names: Baggi, Emen, Engong, Kansif, Myev, Neega, Ovak, Ownka, Shautha, Sutha, Vola, Volen, Yevelda GRUDGING ACCEPTANCE Each half-orc finds a way to gain acceptance from those who hate orcs. Some are reserved, trying not to draw attention to themselves. A few demonstrate piety and good-heartedness as publicly as they can (whether or not such demonstrations are genuine). And some simply try to be so tough that others just avoid them. Half-Orc Traits Your half-orc character has certain traits deriving from your orc ancestry. Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1. Age Half-orcs mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years. Alignment Half-orcs inherit a tendency toward chaos from their orc parents and are not strongly inclined toward good. Half-orcs raised among orcs and willing to live out their lives among them are usually evil. Size Half-orcs are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium. Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision Thanks to your orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Menacing You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. Relentless Endurance When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Savage Attacks When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit. Languages You can speak, read, and write Common and Orc. Orc is a harsh, grating language with hard consonants. It has no script of its own but is written in the Dwarvish script. Mark of Finding Half-Orc “My ancestors used their gift to track beasts in the swamps. I use mine to find fugitives in the slums of Sharn. I’m still a hunter. I always find my mark.” — Hondar’Aashta, Tharashk bounty hunter The Mark of Finding sharpens the senses, guiding the hunter to prey. Alone among the dragonmarks, the Mark of Finding is carried by half-orcs. It first appeared in the Shadow Marches, where clan hunters used it to find their prey. The mark helped unite humans and orcs in the Marches and brought House Tharashk to the Five Nations. House Tharashk House Tharashk traditionally licenses inquisitives and bounty hunters. Recently the Finder’s Guild has expanded into dragonshard prospecting. Dragonshards are the lifesblood of the magical economy. A talent for finding this resource has given the house new wealth and influence. Tharashk is the youngest of the Dragonmarked Houses and hasn’t embraced all of the customs of the Twelve. Heirs often use family names instead of the house surname and many hold on to beliefs and traditions carried from the Shadow Marches — like the druidic faith of the Gatekeepers or secretive cults of the Dragon Below. Dragonmarked Characters Here are examples of characters with this mark. Druid House Agent. House Tharashk is home to an ancient order of druids who protect the world from aberrant threats. Although you are officially an operative of the house, you are truly an agent of the Gatekeepers, and investigate the activities of mad cultists and the Daelkyr. Criminal Rogue. You’re an inquisitive who works the mean streets of Sharn. You’ve got friends on both sides of the law. Sometimes you walk a crooked line to unravel a tough case. Mark of Finding Traits The Mark of Finding only manifests on half-orcs. If your character has the Mark of Finding, these traits replace the Ability Score Increase, Menacing, Relentless Endurance, and Savage Attacks given in the Player’s Handbook. Despite their orcish blood, heirs of the Mark of Finding often resemble their human parents in appearance and temperament. When you create your character, decide if the signs of your orcish ancestry are obvious or subtle. Ability Score Increase Your Strength and Wisdom scores both increase by 1. In addition, one ability score of your choice increases by 1. Hunter’s Intuition Your mark sharpens your senses and helps you find your prey. When you make a Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check, you can roll one Intuition die, a d4, and add the number rolled to the ability check. Imprint Prey As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is imprinted in your mind until it dies or you use this trait again. Alternatively, you can imprint a creature as your quarry whenever you succeed on a Wisdom (Survival) check to track it. When you are tracking your quarry, double the result of your Intuition die. When your quarry is within 60 feet of you, you have a general sense of its location. Your attacks against it ignore half cover. If you can’t see the target when you attack it, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on the attack roll. Likewise, your quarry doesn’t doesn’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you due to being hidden or invisible. Once you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Nature’s Voice When you reach 3rd level you gain the ability to cast locate animals or plants, but only as a ritual.